Credit to this thread being started goes to @PlanetZoom and his thread https://www.horologyboard.com/threads/cartier-mystery-movements-floating-in-space.369/
After looking at that thread I remembered the last time I that was at my watch-smiths shop, he had an actual mystery clock circa 1840-50’s that he was doing some work and restoration on. No reason to question him as I’ve seen him work on super rare clocks from the 1500’s, music boxes from the same period, 1 of 1 automaton Black Forest stuff. Anyways, I used to be a hobbyist in the magic world(mainly gambling routines and card stuff) and he showed me the clock and asked me how it worked and who could have built it. I couldn’t figure it out and he said it was made by a French magician in mid century 1800’s. I dropped Houdin’s name and sure enough it was a match. I was astonished that magic and horology came together that day and I had the proof in front of me. That was the first I had learned of Houdin’s interest in horology and engineering genius behind these clocks.
Here’s a pic of the actual clock...
And a link about Houdin and his clocks
http://blog.onlineclock.net/mystery-clocks/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
After looking at that thread I remembered the last time I that was at my watch-smiths shop, he had an actual mystery clock circa 1840-50’s that he was doing some work and restoration on. No reason to question him as I’ve seen him work on super rare clocks from the 1500’s, music boxes from the same period, 1 of 1 automaton Black Forest stuff. Anyways, I used to be a hobbyist in the magic world(mainly gambling routines and card stuff) and he showed me the clock and asked me how it worked and who could have built it. I couldn’t figure it out and he said it was made by a French magician in mid century 1800’s. I dropped Houdin’s name and sure enough it was a match. I was astonished that magic and horology came together that day and I had the proof in front of me. That was the first I had learned of Houdin’s interest in horology and engineering genius behind these clocks.
Here’s a pic of the actual clock...
And a link about Houdin and his clocks
http://blog.onlineclock.net/mystery-clocks/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
